2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN THE LEFT LANE OF A DIVIDED HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT NOTICE LOST ENGINE POWER AND POWER STEERING. THE WEATHER CONDITION WAS LIGHT RAIN AND THE ROAD WAS WET. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND RESTART THE ENGINE BUT IT DIED WITHIN TWO TO THREE SECONDS. I THEN RESTARTED THE ENGINE SEVERAL MORE TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN A RUNNING ENGINE AFTER ABOUT 5 RESTART CYCLES. THE ENGINE LOSS OF POWER HAS BEEN TRACED BACK BY A MERCEDES REPAIR CENTER TO A MALFUNCTION OF THE ELE…

Owner-reported narrative. 38,967 miles reported. Look up ODI 10763948 at NHTSA ↗

ON 01/08/14, A FEMALE DRIVER OF A 2012 GL 450 WAS STATIONARY, IN THE GARAGE, WITH ENGINE RUNNING. BEFORE SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE TO CHECK ON HER CHILD IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, SHE PRESSED THE PARK BUTTON ON THE DRIVE SELECT ELECTRONICALLY-CONTROLLED COLUMN SHIFTER. AS SHE EXITED AND WALKED AROUND TO HER CHILD, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE TRAVELLED BACKWARDS AND PINNED HER BETWEEN THE OPEN DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE GARAGE WALL. LUCKILY, THE VEHICLE'S DOOR HINGE BOLTS BROKE, THE DOOR FOLDED AND SHE WAS ABLE TO EXTRI…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,616 miles reported. Look up ODI 10824225 at NHTSA ↗

ON JANUARY 8, 2014, THE OWNER OF THE 2012 MERCEDES BENZ GL450 WAS INSIDE HER VEHICLE WITHIN THE GARAGE OF HER RESIDENCE, PREPARING TO LEAVE TO PERFORM ERRANDS. REALIZING SHE NEED TO ATTEND TO HER YOUNG CHILDREN, SHE PUT THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE GL450 SUDDENLY BEGAN MOVING REARWARD IN REVERSE. THE REVERSING VEHICLE PINNED THE OWNER BETWEEN THE OPEN DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE GARAGE WALL, IMPACTING THE LEFT SIDE OF HER BODY WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO FRACTURE HER PELVIS AND BEND BACK THE HINGES O…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,608 miles reported. Look up ODI 10850900 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10914817 at NHTSA ↗

AIRMATIC SUSPENSION LEAK. REQUIRING EXPENSIVE REPAIRE.. ONLY HAS 61000 MILES

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10954012 at NHTSA ↗

AT 80K MILES THE FRONT AIR SUSPENSION STARTED LEAKING AND I HAD THEM REPLACED AT A COST $2414.42. I WAS ALWAYS WORRIED THAT NEXT WAS THE BACK SUSPENSION AND THIS IS NOW TRUE THAT I HAVE TO DO THE SAME FOR THE REAR AIR SUSPENSION AND I CAN ESTIMATE BASED ON THE LAST REPAIR PRICE THAT PERHAPS WILL BE PAYING ANOTHER $2500. I HAVE SPOKEN TO VARIOUS PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TYPE OF CARS WHOM I MET WITH FLATTENED AIR SUSPENSIONS AND DID NOT KNOW WHY THEIR CAR SUSPENSIONS WERE LEAKING. AT LEAST IT WOULD BE GOOD IF MERCEDES COULD PROVIDE US WITH METAL …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10990521 at NHTSA ↗

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS) FOR THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIR BAG INFLATOR; HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AN UNKNOWN DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNSURE IF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND WOULD KEEP THE CONTACT INFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD R…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11003121 at NHTSA ↗

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE CONTACT CONTACTED CRITZ MERCEDES-BENZ OF SAVANNAH (7000 ABERCORN ST, SAVANNAH, GA 31406 [phone removed]) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11018922 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2016-02-11 (February 11, 2016)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Kompressor and C320, 2006-2007 C230, 2006-2011 C350, 2008-2011 C300 and C300 4Matic, 2010-2012 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic and 2007-2008 Chrysler Crossfire vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2022-05-09 (May 9, 2022)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

Consequence: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.

Reported: 2024-04-26 (April 26, 2024)

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

Consequence: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.